Latest news with #FisheriesManagement
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Fishermen fined $39,000 for illegal act in Australian waters: 'We will find you'
'We will find you.' That's the stern message from border force officials aimed at foreign vessels illegally fishing in Australian waters. It comes after two crews were caught off Australia's coastline, resulting in a total of $39,000 in fines and two boats destroyed at sea. On July 23, Australian Border Force [ABF] officials with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority [AFMA] intercepted a boat near Adele Island, north of Broome in Western Australia. They seized 66 shark fins, 120 kilograms of salt used to preserve catch, and various fishing gear. Shark fins are considered a delicacy in some cultures and can attract a high price, especially as finning has been banned by many countries. In Australia, it is illegal to possess shark fins on a boat without the rest of the shark's body present. This is to curb finning at sea, which involves cutting off the fins and dumping the shark's body overboard. On rare occasions, the sharks may still be alive during this process but will drown in the water if it is unable to swim. Five crew members were detained and taken to Darwin for further investigation. One crew member, already wanted over a previous offence, was jailed and fined $10,000. The vessel's master was hit with a $9,000 fine, a recidivist crew member $3,000, and two others $1,500 each — totalling $25,000 in fines. The vessel involved was destroyed at sea in accordance with Australian law. The crackdown follows another intercepted vessel that was caught off Ashmore Island just four days earlier. Border Force officials seized 40kg of salt along with fishing equipment, including a 300-metre longline. Six crew members on board were hit with heavy penalties, with the ship's master fined $6,000, a repeat offender fined $2,000 and four other crew members fined $1,500 each. Their vessel was also destroyed at sea. Crew members from both vessels will be returned to Indonesia. Blunt message for those daring to fish illegally Rear Admiral Brett Sonter, who leads the Maritime Border Command, had a blunt message for foreign vessels. "For people considering fishing illegally in Australia, our message is clear. We will find you, take your catch, destroy your boats and fishing equipment, and you will be prosecuted. Do not put your livelihood at risk by coming to Australia to fish illegally," he said. AFMA's General Manager of Fisheries Operations, Mr Justin Bathurst, said illegal fishing poses a "serious threat" to the nation's fishing industry and marine environment. "AFMA and our partner agencies remain absolutely committed to detecting, apprehending and prosecuting those who fish illegally in Australian waters," he said. "Those who choose to fish illegally in Australian waters face serious legal penalties, including potential jail time. They also risk losing their vessel and fishing gear. It is not worth the risk." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
The Advertiser
11-05-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
Stormy conditions do not deter 'the mullet men'
Every year, when the temperature drops at Easter, hordes of mullet migrate out to sea to spawn - this is the mullet run. Greg Tarrant is a fourth-generation angler who, along with his dad and son, spends six weeks catching the fish by the tonne. There's no fancy equipment and no idle hands. The crew, colloquially called the "mullet men", net the fish by hand and haul them onshore with a ute. Tarrant's crew starts at Stockton and follows the migration up to Fingal Bay. They keep a close eye out for dark patches of fish in the water. Mr Tarrant said it was a basic operation that required hard work and patience. The crew battled head-high waves to net thousands of fish at a time and, when the water was choppy, they often get the "shit belted out of them". "If it was nice and calm, it's a lot easier, but you gotta do what you gotta do," he said. Almost 150 millimetres of rain hit the Hunter at the end of April, which flushed fish from the estuaries earlier than usual. Last week, the crew netted 35 tonnes in one day at Fingal Bay beach. During the catch, they had to cut their nets and cage the fish at the edge of the shoreline before the tide rose. Two sharks were spotted lurking around the catch. Mr Tarrant said it was common to see nurse sharks and bronze whalers, but that they had never had any "dramas" with them. "Touch wood, no one's been bitten," he said. A fishing boat off Port Stephens had a near-miss with a five-metre great white shark in February. The job doesn't come without criticism. Mr Tarrant said people often commented that what he was doing was wrong, and that it was being greedy. "We're not hurting the numbers of them," he said. "These fish have been turning up year after year, for hundreds of years," he said. A NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesperson said the mullet run was "one of Australia's most sustainable" fishing practices. About 3000 tonnes of mullet are caught annually in NSW, and, according to the 2023 NSW Stock Status Summary, the sea mullet numbers are sustainable. "None of the catch is wasted and the extensive value adding that occurs contributes to the state economy, regional employment and the viability of the commercial fishing industry," the spokesperson said. Fishers in the mullet run follow rules set out in NSW Fisheries Management legislation. For Mr Tarrant, this season is shaping up to be much better than past years, and he hopes to get a few hundred tonnes before the run finishes at the end of May. Every year, when the temperature drops at Easter, hordes of mullet migrate out to sea to spawn - this is the mullet run. Greg Tarrant is a fourth-generation angler who, along with his dad and son, spends six weeks catching the fish by the tonne. There's no fancy equipment and no idle hands. The crew, colloquially called the "mullet men", net the fish by hand and haul them onshore with a ute. Tarrant's crew starts at Stockton and follows the migration up to Fingal Bay. They keep a close eye out for dark patches of fish in the water. Mr Tarrant said it was a basic operation that required hard work and patience. The crew battled head-high waves to net thousands of fish at a time and, when the water was choppy, they often get the "shit belted out of them". "If it was nice and calm, it's a lot easier, but you gotta do what you gotta do," he said. Almost 150 millimetres of rain hit the Hunter at the end of April, which flushed fish from the estuaries earlier than usual. Last week, the crew netted 35 tonnes in one day at Fingal Bay beach. During the catch, they had to cut their nets and cage the fish at the edge of the shoreline before the tide rose. Two sharks were spotted lurking around the catch. Mr Tarrant said it was common to see nurse sharks and bronze whalers, but that they had never had any "dramas" with them. "Touch wood, no one's been bitten," he said. A fishing boat off Port Stephens had a near-miss with a five-metre great white shark in February. The job doesn't come without criticism. Mr Tarrant said people often commented that what he was doing was wrong, and that it was being greedy. "We're not hurting the numbers of them," he said. "These fish have been turning up year after year, for hundreds of years," he said. A NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesperson said the mullet run was "one of Australia's most sustainable" fishing practices. About 3000 tonnes of mullet are caught annually in NSW, and, according to the 2023 NSW Stock Status Summary, the sea mullet numbers are sustainable. "None of the catch is wasted and the extensive value adding that occurs contributes to the state economy, regional employment and the viability of the commercial fishing industry," the spokesperson said. Fishers in the mullet run follow rules set out in NSW Fisheries Management legislation. For Mr Tarrant, this season is shaping up to be much better than past years, and he hopes to get a few hundred tonnes before the run finishes at the end of May. Every year, when the temperature drops at Easter, hordes of mullet migrate out to sea to spawn - this is the mullet run. Greg Tarrant is a fourth-generation angler who, along with his dad and son, spends six weeks catching the fish by the tonne. There's no fancy equipment and no idle hands. The crew, colloquially called the "mullet men", net the fish by hand and haul them onshore with a ute. Tarrant's crew starts at Stockton and follows the migration up to Fingal Bay. They keep a close eye out for dark patches of fish in the water. Mr Tarrant said it was a basic operation that required hard work and patience. The crew battled head-high waves to net thousands of fish at a time and, when the water was choppy, they often get the "shit belted out of them". "If it was nice and calm, it's a lot easier, but you gotta do what you gotta do," he said. Almost 150 millimetres of rain hit the Hunter at the end of April, which flushed fish from the estuaries earlier than usual. Last week, the crew netted 35 tonnes in one day at Fingal Bay beach. During the catch, they had to cut their nets and cage the fish at the edge of the shoreline before the tide rose. Two sharks were spotted lurking around the catch. Mr Tarrant said it was common to see nurse sharks and bronze whalers, but that they had never had any "dramas" with them. "Touch wood, no one's been bitten," he said. A fishing boat off Port Stephens had a near-miss with a five-metre great white shark in February. The job doesn't come without criticism. Mr Tarrant said people often commented that what he was doing was wrong, and that it was being greedy. "We're not hurting the numbers of them," he said. "These fish have been turning up year after year, for hundreds of years," he said. A NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesperson said the mullet run was "one of Australia's most sustainable" fishing practices. About 3000 tonnes of mullet are caught annually in NSW, and, according to the 2023 NSW Stock Status Summary, the sea mullet numbers are sustainable. "None of the catch is wasted and the extensive value adding that occurs contributes to the state economy, regional employment and the viability of the commercial fishing industry," the spokesperson said. Fishers in the mullet run follow rules set out in NSW Fisheries Management legislation. For Mr Tarrant, this season is shaping up to be much better than past years, and he hopes to get a few hundred tonnes before the run finishes at the end of May. Every year, when the temperature drops at Easter, hordes of mullet migrate out to sea to spawn - this is the mullet run. Greg Tarrant is a fourth-generation angler who, along with his dad and son, spends six weeks catching the fish by the tonne. There's no fancy equipment and no idle hands. The crew, colloquially called the "mullet men", net the fish by hand and haul them onshore with a ute. Tarrant's crew starts at Stockton and follows the migration up to Fingal Bay. They keep a close eye out for dark patches of fish in the water. Mr Tarrant said it was a basic operation that required hard work and patience. The crew battled head-high waves to net thousands of fish at a time and, when the water was choppy, they often get the "shit belted out of them". "If it was nice and calm, it's a lot easier, but you gotta do what you gotta do," he said. Almost 150 millimetres of rain hit the Hunter at the end of April, which flushed fish from the estuaries earlier than usual. Last week, the crew netted 35 tonnes in one day at Fingal Bay beach. During the catch, they had to cut their nets and cage the fish at the edge of the shoreline before the tide rose. Two sharks were spotted lurking around the catch. Mr Tarrant said it was common to see nurse sharks and bronze whalers, but that they had never had any "dramas" with them. "Touch wood, no one's been bitten," he said. A fishing boat off Port Stephens had a near-miss with a five-metre great white shark in February. The job doesn't come without criticism. Mr Tarrant said people often commented that what he was doing was wrong, and that it was being greedy. "We're not hurting the numbers of them," he said. "These fish have been turning up year after year, for hundreds of years," he said. A NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesperson said the mullet run was "one of Australia's most sustainable" fishing practices. About 3000 tonnes of mullet are caught annually in NSW, and, according to the 2023 NSW Stock Status Summary, the sea mullet numbers are sustainable. "None of the catch is wasted and the extensive value adding that occurs contributes to the state economy, regional employment and the viability of the commercial fishing industry," the spokesperson said. Fishers in the mullet run follow rules set out in NSW Fisheries Management legislation. For Mr Tarrant, this season is shaping up to be much better than past years, and he hopes to get a few hundred tonnes before the run finishes at the end of May.
